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Friday, September 26, 2008

BBC's In Our Time is back from summer recess. Melvyn Bragg and his panel spoke about miracles in the first issue of the season. A lot of fascinating aspects were touched upon, but the subject flows like fine sand between your fingers; it is so difficult to get a grasp.

Miracles, as alleged facts that happened, force questions about their nature. By modern times, this also triggers skepticism, though the program shows that skepticism about miracles starts much earlier. If you do not look at them as tales about reality, but rather as tales, as a narrative, the meaning of miracles become the issue. Also about this some is said. Miracles are taken in a certain way in Judaism and Christianity and this is the center of attention in the program. But it is noted that Islam and the East, takes miracles differently, just as the definitions of nature and the divine are different.

I have listened to this episode three times in order to put some these trains of thought in the center and see to a special reason to go and listen. But I have not succeeded and this is a weakness that is unlike In Our Time: it was too fragmented. There are glimpses of intelligent and provocative thoughts, but they fleet a bit too easily. Still, this is In Our Time, one of the best podcasts around. But be prepared.

The most elite of the podcast reviewers (and most especially in the History genre). We use Anne is a Man! as a sort of barometer for how we are doing. Anne is a Man can assume the role of THE podcast reviewer on line; no one does it as well as he does.